TEHRAN, Oct. 28 (Shana) – A senior Iranian gas official says Iran can have a bigger share in the global gas market given the size of its natural reserves.

Addressing a conference ahead of the 7th conference and exhibition of Asia Pacific Natural Gas Vehicles Association (ANGVA) in Tehran, Mansour Riyahi, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC), said given the fact that Iran enjoys 18% of the world's proven natural gas reserves, it has only 1.5% share in the natural gas market which must increase ASAP.

"We are optimistic that the ANGVA 2017 will pave the path for developing compressed natural gas (CNG) industry of Iran," he said.

Iran sits atop 46% of the gas reserves in the Middle East and 11% of the world's oil reserves, he said.

Riyahi described CNG industry as a strategic industry in Iran, adding the sector must develop for various political, economic, environmental and developmental reasons.

Iran currently enjoys 2,400 CNG stations and over 4.5 million CNG-run cars that consume over 20 million cubic meters of the fuel on a daily basis.

"Had Iran not consumed this amount of CNG, it would have to import petrol instead to fuel cars," he added.

Iran has the largest number of gas-run cars in the world after China.

Beginning on October 31, the three day conference and exhibition will host Iranian and foreign companies active in CNG industry.

Iran is to introduce its major compressed natural gas (CNG) projects to potential investors at the upcoming conference and exhibition of ANGVA in Tehran.

The event is aimed at boosting consumption of natural gas as the clean source of energy in the transportation sector.

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Iran National Standards Organization, Iran's presidential office, the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Commerce and the Ministry of Interior Affairs are among the Iranian organizations and bodies that have endorsed the event.

Based on 28th ANGVA Board meeting held in January 2015, Iran has been officiated as host of the 7th ANGVA Biennial International conference and Exhibition (ANGVA 2017).

The event will be held in Iran as one of the significant members of ANGVA and with considering the huge potential of investment opportunities in the field of oil and gas in our country.

Over the past decade, Iran -as the holder of the world’s first largest gas reserves, has become the biggest manufacturer and consumer of the mostly related CNG equipment in the world. Having extra capabilities in the country such as vast variety of gas transmission and distribution network, along with four million natural gas vehicles and around 2300 CNG refueling stations enable us to reach the top position in CNG industry among world’s countries.

This exhibition and conference will highlight and discuss the opportunities and challenges of infrastructure and technologies development and deployment in the push for utilization of natural gas and other alternative fuels for the transport sector.

Iran as old as history itself inherits one of the most ancient civilizations of the planet. Throughout the years, its culture has influenced different parts of the globe from the Nile River to the heart of Europe. Along with its splendid history and culture, Iran is diverse land and has a great variety of geographical environment which offers a sense of paradise for all of the nature lovers.